PHILADELPHIA -- Donnel Pumphrey understood the root of the comparisons before he landed with the Eagles, and he embraced them when he became teammates with Darren Sproles.

And now, a month after the Birds drafted Pumphrey in the fourth round, the shifty San Diego State running back is learning just how much Sproles' presence will dictate the first season of his NFL career.

At 5 feet, 8 inches and 176 pounds, Pumphrey is far from a bruising ball-carrier. His skills are more suited for a role as a change-of-pace back, who can also make an impact as a talented pass-catcher, and he expects to take on those responsibilities in Philadelphia's West Coast offense.

But Pumphrey's place on the team in 2017 is dependent on Sproles, a 33-year-old veteran. Sproles is the prototypical small and versatile running back. He's paved a path for players like Pumphrey to ascend to the NFL by proving the value a speedy backfield with a knack for running routes can infuse into an offense over his 12-year career.

Sproles has suggested he'll retire at the end of this season, which means Pumphrey will have a year to learn from an NFL icon before taking on a heavier load in the offense. For 2017, though, the Eagles will likely rely on Sproles to produce, which leaves Pumphrey without an obvious role.

During the first four organized team activities, Pumphrey run lots of routes and severed as a slot wide receiver at times. He carried the ball out of the backfield, too, and he's hoping his versatility will afford him a chance to wiggle his way into the offensive gameplan this fall -- even with Sproles providing a similar set of skills.

"I'm going to have to show that I can move around and do a lot of different things, because like I said, this is going to be Sproles' last year," Pumphrey said. "So, I mean, I'm just trying to stay under his wing."

That sums up Pumphrey's on-field relationship with Sproles. He's trying to absorb lessons from his older teammate, while also carving out a place alongside him in the offense.

One option for the Eagles' coaches is to play Sproles and Pumphrey together, which would give the team a unique look. It's rare for offenses to trot out two small running backs onto the field at once, but Pumphrey thinks that personnel could cause trouble for defenses.

"It creates a lot of mismatches," Pumphrey said. "With both of us back there, we can do crossing patterns and keep the linebackers all mixed up. And even when we motion out, it's going to most likely be a linebacker on us."

In May, coaches are still watching their team gel and helping individuals take strides forward, so it's difficult to nail down specific game plans. It's clear, however, that the Eagles value Pumphrey: He was the second offensive player they selected in this year's draft, they've given him chances to play with the starters in practice and coach Doug Pederson raved about his dynamic attributes earlier this offseason.

It's possible the Birds can touches from Pumphrey this season, while Sproles is still in the mix. But for now, Pumphrey simply plans to let coaches he can do whatever the team asks of him.

He knows he'll have to wait a few months to see what those demands are.

"They've been working me in the slot a lot and just moving me around as a running back," he said. "I definitely look forward to catching the ball as well as showing that I can get to the next level."